EFCC PLEDGES MORE RECOVERED FUNDS FOR NDDC AS NEW TRAINING CENTRE, STATE OFFICE OPEN IN BAYELSA
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, has assured the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of continued recovery and release of funds due to the Commission, as part of efforts to support its development initiatives across the region.
Olukoyede made the pledge during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Multi-Purpose Training Centre in Otuokpoti, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He also commissioned the NDDC Bayelsa State office in Yenagoa, the state capital.
According to a statement by the NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the EFCC boss praised the Commission as a “renewed and transformed government agency,” and vowed to intensify efforts to recover outstanding statutory contributions from oil companies on its behalf.
“We have made several recoveries on behalf of the NDDC, and we will not relent in this direction,” Olukoyede said. “We are encouraged by the fact that the NDDC is making the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government a reality in the Niger Delta region.”
Also present at the event was the Minister of Niger Delta Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, who commended the NDDC Board and Management for working in unity to deliver on President Bola Tinubu’s development mandate.
“The NDDC is setting standards for good performance in the region. I encourage other regional development agencies to emulate this pace in delivering impactful projects,” Momoh stated. He also acknowledged the support of the National Assembly in enabling the Commission to function efficiently.
Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, described the inauguration of the training centre as a reflection of President Tinubu’s commitment to transforming the Niger Delta. He emphasized the Commission’s readiness to collaborate with state governments for sustained development in the oil-producing areas.
In his remarks, NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the transformation of Nigeria’s oil-rich region.
He revealed that the Otuokpoti training centre, completed in record time, was a product of partnership between the EFCC and NDDC, funded with resources recovered by the anti-graft agency.
“The centre, which can accommodate up to 1,000 persons, is a significant milestone in our efforts to empower local communities through skills development,” Ogbuku said. He added that similar centres are under construction in Odi, Bayelsa State; Patani and Ozorro in Delta State; and two additional sites in Rivers State.
Providing technical details, NDDC Executive Director of Projects, Sir Victor Antai, disclosed that the facility—awarded in 2023—includes a school, hospital, cafeteria, police post, and a recreation centre to support training and emergency accommodation.
Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, commended President Tinubu’s commitment to the Niger Delta through the Renewed Hope Agenda and assured that the National Assembly would continue to provide effective oversight.
“Our collective goal is to see the Commission fulfil its mandate and drive sustainable development across the Niger Delta,” he stated.
The inauguration ceremony highlighted growing synergy among federal agencies, private sector stakeholders, and development partners in achieving inclusive growth and regional transformation in Nigeria’s oil-producing communities.
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